


A Matter of Debate

by spirithorse



Series: Purple Prose AU [2]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 19:11:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8069335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: After centuries of silence on the matter, the facts of the relationship between Mikleo and Sorey were bound to come up. Mikleo just wishes that someone would get it right for once. More from the Purple Prose AU.





	

**Author's Note:**

> [talesofsymphoniac](talesofsymphoniac.tumblr.com) did [, which led to more of this.](https://talesofsymphoniac.tumblr.com/post/150376700867/k-but-you-know-that-one-thing-i-just-reblogged)

**An Excerpt from _Travels through the Clouds: A History of the Forgotten Capital of the Seraphim_  by Alysia Cailean.**

In speaking about Elysia and the ruins of the great temple there it would be remiss not to spend some time on the village of Camlann, which is accessible through the ruins of the temple.

Long forgotten, Camlann is best known for being founded by Shepherd Michael upon his retirement as well as being the origin point for not only the First Hyland-Rolance war but also the Age of Calamity. There are still visible signs of Camlann as it was, with most of the houses bearing the marks of the fire that initially destroyed the village, but there are more marks of what Camlann has become. Since Shepherd Sorey descended into sleep, Camlann has burst forth as a city of shrines and a place of pilgrimage. 

Reaching Camlann is difficult because of the many seals loving laid over the place. Most of them prevent humans and seraphim alike from venturing too far beyond the monument to the founding of the village, but the small shrines and offerings are well beyond where the seals lock the rest of the village and shrine in.

Chief among those is a shrine raised to the Shepherd Sorey himself, and it is often filled to the brim with offerings. Feathers are very popular, as are books or fragments of relics. Any of these are often piled so high that the exquisite artwork on the shrine itself is nearly obscured, which is a shame. The delicate and beautifully painted bas reliefs on the shrine depict scenes of the Shepherd’s life, all lovingly made by the Seraph Natalie if local rumors are true. Not sticking to any style or restriction, the reliefs show the Shepherd growing up among the seraphim and going about his journey. 

It is especially telling with how prevalent the seraphim are in these depictions when compared to the other throughout Glenwood. In all other depictions, including the ones in official records, Shepherd Sorey is always larger than his four companions or the seraphs are not in evidence. There are many renderings that choose to put the Squires with him instead of the seraphim, which seems to be a strange choice considering the source of the Shepherd’s great power. With the increased resonance in the population, it could edge on insulting to leave the seraphim out completely.

More interesting is the fact that the shrine at Camlann depicts Sorey more as a human than as a grand savior. He is seen at play just as much as he is fighting the malevolence. It might be the fact that the reliefs were made by someone who knew the Shepherd, but there is certainly more life to them.

Whatever the differences, there are some places where the shrine agrees with contemporary portrayals. Where the Shepherd is shown with his seraphim, he always has his arm around the shoulders or waist of one of his seraph, the one most often designated as Seraph Mikleo. While sharing these depictions (the shrine at Camlann has Sorey with his arm around Mikleo’s waist), the shrine at Camlann goes a little further, showing them being openly affectionate with each other. Scenes of the Shepherd and his seraph hugging, touching and kissing are common and often the more lovingly rendered on the shrine. 

This version of Sorey and Mikleo, while wildly out of sync with common literary beliefs, is one that is repeated by the seraphim who life in Elysia. Most of the residents were more than happy to share stories about the two of them to any traveler that asked, saying that the memories help keep Sorey and his dream alive.

* * *

**A Review of **Alysia Cailean’s Book by The University of Pendrago’s Shepherd Studies Department****

While _Travels through the Clouds: A History of the Forgotten Capital of the Seraphim_ is excellent in rendering the history of the Aroundight Forest, Camlann and Elysia and all the ruins associated with it, the author spends a whole chapter erroneously attempting to convince the reader that Shepherd Sorey and Seraph Mikleo were on intimate terms. Depictions by local artists and citing various off tradition carvings and pictures of the two of them are not firm evidence, especially when ignoring the facts that had already been established. The chapter is a blot of speculation and hearsay on what is otherwise a charming narrative of time spent in Elysia and a real attempt to cover spaces in our historical record.

* * *

**_The Shepherd As He Was_    
by Edward Kasun**

Speculation that Shepherd Sorey had a lover has run rampant over intellectual debate for years. Since the regrettable success of  _Travels through the Clouds: A History of the Forgotten Capital of the Seraphim_  (a fanciful description of travel through Elysia masquerading as a history) and the rediscovery of many local accounts and shrines to the late Shepherd, it is perhaps time to pull back and focus on the facts instead of getting lost in romantic notions. Novels meant for the sensibilities of women and the uneducated are not meant to be taken as fact. The following is presented as a way to dispel these fanciful notions and return Shepherd Sorey’s dignity to him.

Firstly, it is well known that Shepherd Sorey and Seraph Mikleo were raised together in Elysia. As such they saw themselves as siblings, being of about the same age and having the same interests. This close relationship was something that the seraphim encouraged so the Shepherd would never feel alone. As siblings the notion that they were lovers in inherently vile as instinct rebels against this union. If they were more affectionate with each other than most other people consider that seraphim are known to have different customs than humans, including being more open with their affections, and the fact that the two were raised on their own. They were siblings, but very close ones.

Second, any account we have of Shepherd Sorey and his journey comes from either memoirs of the people who know him or stories passed down through the years from the smaller villages. The problems with these sources are as follows. The local accounts cannot be trusted because they are steeped in local tradition and legends. There are many old tales that have a figure like the Shepherd that have been updated to include Shepherd Sorey. There is little chance that Shepherd Sorey actually rescued a woman driven to sacrifice herself for the wrongs she had done on the time of the Guinevere Shrine, it’s just a retelling of old myths in the area. 

On the other hand, the memoirs for the most part cannot be trusted because they are not contemporary. _Life and Memories of Alisha Diphda_  were written in the last years of the princess’ life and the personal diaries of Captain Sergei Strelka were revealed to be nothing more than revised and expanded versions of the log he kept as captain of the Platinum Knights. _The Assassin Shepherd: The Tale of Rose_  cannot be trusted at all considering that Shepherd Rose dictated it to a writer who later admitted to polishing it with her permission. The only contemporary account left to us are the diaries of Malfore which never mentions any relationship between Shepherd Sorey and any of his seraphs. Other accounts written soon after Malfore’s just confirm the truth within Malfore’s own accounts.

Third, the paintings and pictures always mentioned are often the work of people who had heard the conflated Shepherd myths and drew them out. While well done and pleasing, they do not match the historical context. More often than not, those same pictures are being proven as hoaxes as more people fall into the dangerous believe that the romances are right and that the true history of Shepherd Sorey is wrong.

Four, despite all the interviews carefully recorded and set down, there are many flaws with them. With the resurgence of the resonance, people hurried to speak to the seraphim to get their version of events. While helpful in establishing the truth of the Age of Chaos, many of those interviewing the seraphim had a small bit of resonance themselves and often filled in the blanks with what they thought made sense before continuing on. This is especially clear when the same seraphim are spoken to again. The story is almost always different.

Fifth and most painful are the claims that Shepherd Sorey called Seraph Mikleo his one and only in the ancient tongue. Recent searches and renewed efforts have found no such instance in the records that were left behind, leaving many historians to believe that this was invented by the fantasy and romance novels. It would be amazingly far fetched for a boy raised by seraphim to have an education that would be needed to understand the nuances of the ancient tongue. Most likely it was a mistranslation of some epitaph found in Elysia, if it even happened at all.

Finally, comes the address of the Shepherd’s prerogative which is to remain pure. While sources differ on how this purity is gained, it is clear that it cannot be sustained through sexual intercourse. No Shepherd in living memory has been anything other than chaste. To do so would refute their right to purification and leave the world in chaos. 

Therefore, it was unlikely that Shepherd Sorey had any relationship with Seraph Mikleo.

* * *

A Response to Edward Kasun or “Sorey as He _Really_  Was”

First, your careless wording concerning  _Travels through the Clouds: A History of the Forgotten Capital of the Seraphim_ is very telling. Or have you forgotten that I was interviewed among the rest of the seraphim in Elysia? It is my home after all. As is the fact that it is _my_  seal over Camlann. Your handling of the romances were distasteful too. As strangely voyeuristic as they are, they are doing no harm to Sorey and his reputation. You historians are tearing it to shreds just fine yourself.

Second, and onto your arguments, there was never a point where I considered Sorey my brother. We were raised together in a loving environment and as the only children there, but we were never siblings. He was Sorey and I was Mikleo, that was the sum total of it. Any closeness may have been encouraged initially, but I think you will find that it was hard to keep us apart. Seraphs may be more affectionate that humans, but I don’t think that wanting to ~~fuck~~ ~~make love to~~ kiss the boy you grew up with is a sign of being the closest of brothers.

Third, the stories of the people from the villages are more accurate than any source you picked out thus far. They’re the ones that actually came out to talk to Sorey instead of staying in their universities to deny his presence. There are stacks of refutations of Sorey’s title as Shepherd from the time we were traveling. Or have those all been mysteriously lost? Don’t worry, I have certified copies if you find you have misplaced yours. Just so you know, Sorey did save that girl, but I doubt you care. Just like you obviously don’t care about reliable sources. Alisha kept notes of her life until the end, any speculation on her part was minimal, as was Sergei’s. They checked their stories with each other to make sure they hadn’t missed anything. They also checked with Lailah, but I doubt you would mention that fact since discrediting the Lady of the Lake is career suicide. As for Rose, I just wish she was around to see this. Then again, she might not have to be. The Scattered Bones are not the most forgiving of those who smear their leader’s name, no matter how long she’s been dead.

On the subject of Malfore, there is no subject. He was given the title to appease the church. Any claims to resonance and further adventures after the Age of Chaos ended is false. There is not a seraphim on this earth who ever had a conversation with him. But your point about his accounts being the ones followed is true. Still, it’s hard to accept any other truth when it became the official account of the Rolance church and is still taught as such in schools.

Four, the paintings and pictures aren’t hoaxes. I am currently in the process of verifying them myself and I’m shocked to see the vandalism that has been done to them. It’s annoying to see my arm obviously chipped from the carving or painted over, but it’s disrespectful to do so to Sorey. I have access to the list of people granted permission to work the sights and villages of people ready to attest to the corrections done in the name of history. Rolance’s parliament meets in three months. Be ready.

Five. the interviews are fine. Seraphim may be long lived, but even we are capable of forgetting things. 

Six, it is not your business what Sorey called me, ancient tongue or otherwise. But, I can assure you that he had a better knowledge than any of you do. Half of my free time is spent writing corrections of inscriptions from your university. The others have managed to learn the language alright, but it’s just this one university.

Seven, ~~for the love of...I slept with him, multiple times. I have witnesses that can attest to the fact that I had Sorey’s cock in my mouth or inside me several times on our journey. And vice versa.~~  Sexual purity has nothing to do with the Shepherd’s overall purity. It is a known fact reported by every seraphim. Once again, I point you to Lailah. If you can’t believe the seraphs in Elysia or me, then you might believe her.

Therefore, and proven multiple times, Shepherd Sorey did have a relationship with Seraph Mikleo. ~~And he was loved very much. I miss…~~

**Author's Note:**

> [SilverKistune](http://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune/pseuds/SilverKitsune) did [a wonderful follow-up](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8048455) to this.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Tea Time With Friends](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8048455) by [SilverKitsune](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune/pseuds/SilverKitsune)
  * [Salt and Sugar](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8139299) by [talesofsymphoniac](https://archiveofourown.org/users/talesofsymphoniac/pseuds/talesofsymphoniac)




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